# NHC Tropical Cyclones Scraper (`parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes tropical cyclone records from the National Hurricane Center by ocean basin. Returns each storm with its advisory history, wind speeds, pressure, and position data as a flat row.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Travel, Automation, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.04 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### NHC Tropical Cyclones Scraper

**Scrape tropical cyclone data from the National Hurricane Center, including every active and archived storm.** Each record includes track points, wind speeds, pressure, and forecast details. No API key required. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

The National Hurricane Center publishes detailed tropical cyclone data, but manually collecting it across basins and years is slow and error-prone. This Actor reads the NHC's public feeds directly, returning each storm as a structured row with its track, intensity, and forecast information. Filter by basin or limit the number of cyclones to fit your research needs.

| Who uses it | What they scrape NHC Tropical Cyclones for |
|---|---|
| Meteorologists | Analyze storm tracks and intensity changes for research papers |
| Insurance analysts | Assess historical cyclone exposure for risk models |
| Emergency managers | Monitor active storms for evacuation planning |
| Climate scientists | Study long-term trends in cyclone frequency and intensity |
| Data journalists | Build interactive maps of storm paths for news stories |

### What it does

This Actor collects tropical cyclone records from the National Hurricane Center, including track points, wind speeds, pressure, and forecast details, and returns each storm as a flat row.

- 🌊 **Basin filter:** Restrict results to Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, Central Pacific, or all basins.
- 📊 **Structured records:** Each cyclone includes track points, wind speeds, pressure, and forecast details.
- ⚡ **Scalable collection:** Collect up to 1,000,000 cyclones with a paid plan, or preview with 10 for free.
- 📁 **Multiple export formats:** Download your dataset as CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with NHC Tropical Cyclones data

**🌀 Track active storms for real-time alerts.**

Emergency managers run the Actor hourly on the Atlantic basin to get the latest positions and forecasts for active cyclones, feeding their alert systems.

**📈 Analyze historical cyclone trends.**

Climate scientists collect all Eastern Pacific storms since 2000 to study changes in intensity and frequency over decades.

**🗺️ Build storm path visualizations.**

Data journalists scrape Central Pacific cyclones and use the track points to create interactive maps for news articles.

**💼 Assess insurance risk exposure.**

Insurance analysts gather Atlantic cyclone records to model potential losses for coastal properties.

### Why choose this scraper

| | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API key** | Access NHC data without registration or authentication |
| **Complete storm history** | Includes both active and archived cyclones |
| **Consistent schema** | Every storm returns the same fields for easy analysis |
| **Flexible limits** | Preview with 10 free cyclones or scale up to 1,000,000 |

### How it compares

No other Store actor targets NHC Tropical Cyclones the same way, so the honest comparison is with the alternatives teams actually weigh.

| | NHC Tropical Cyclones Scraper | Build it in-house | By hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Run it now, zero config | Days of engineering | None, but hours per pull |
| When NHC Tropical Cyclones changes | Maintained for you | You fix it | You re-learn the page |
| Proxies, retries, anti-bot | Built in | Your problem | Browser only |
| Output | Fixed JSON schema, CSV/Excel export | Whatever you build | Copy-paste |
| Cost | Pay per result | Engineering time | Analyst hours |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor by selecting an ocean basin and setting a maximum number of cyclones to collect. Filters run as each storm is read, so only matching records reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.00225 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.22 |
| 1,000 results | $2.25 |
| 10,000 results | $22.50 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [NHC Tropical Cyclones Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to NHC Tropical Cyclones through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Check that you have selected a valid basin. If you chose a specific basin like Central Pacific, there may be no cyclones in that basin at the moment. Try setting the basin to 'all' to see all available storms.

**Why is my run limited to only 10 cyclones?**

Free users are limited to 10 cyclones as a preview. To collect more, upgrade to a paid plan, which allows up to 1,000,000 cyclones per run.

**The Actor is taking too long to finish.**

Collecting a large number of cyclones can take time. Reduce the maxItems value to speed up the run, or check your Apify plan's memory and timeout settings.

**Some cyclone records are missing forecast details.**

Forecast details are only available for active storms or recent archives. Older archived cyclones may not include forecast data. This is expected behavior from the NHC source.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What data does this Actor return for each cyclone? | Each cyclone record includes track points with latitude and longitude, maximum sustained wind speeds, minimum central pressure, and forecast details such as projected paths and intensities. |
| Can I filter by specific ocean basin? | Yes, you can select Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, Central Pacific, or all basins using the basin input field. |
| Is there a limit on how many cyclones I can collect? | Free users are limited to 10 cyclones as a preview. Paid users can collect up to 1,000,000 cyclones per run. |
| Do I need an API key from the National Hurricane Center? | No, this Actor reads the NHC's public feeds directly, so no API key or registration is required. |
| What export formats are supported? | You can export your dataset as CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML. |
| Does this Actor include archived storms? | Yes, it collects both active and archived tropical cyclones from the NHC's historical database. |
| How often is the data updated? | The Actor fetches the latest data from the NHC each time it runs, so you get current information for active storms and complete records for past ones. |
| Can I schedule this Actor to run automatically? | Yes, you can set up a schedule on Apify to run the Actor at regular intervals, such as every hour during hurricane season. |
| What is the difference between the free and paid plans? | The free plan allows you to collect up to 10 cyclones as a preview. Paid plans increase the limit up to 1,000,000 cyclones per run. |
| Is the data suitable for scientific research? | Yes, the data comes directly from the National Hurricane Center and includes detailed track and intensity information suitable for research and analysis. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by National Hurricane Center. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `basin` (type: `string`):

Restrict to one ocean basin.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Free users are limited to 10 cyclones (preview). Paid users can collect up to 1,000,000.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "basin": "all",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "maxItems": 10 }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/nhc-tropical-cyclones-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/67fjeQfrg7yVmwIav/builds/PgdTOlDk7VONzm9tA/openapi.json